Sindh

Karachi gets three new underpasses, flyovers

Sindh government announces Rs10b development package for provincial capital

Zubair Ashraf June 11, 2016

To address the growing number of vehicles and the resulting traffic jams, the government has proposed three new underpasses and three flyovers for the city. PHOTO: FILE

KARACHI: Traffic on Sharae Faisal is going to be a mess this year provided the Sindh government is serious about what it has planned — five destruction, construction and remodelling projects to run at the same time on the city’s main artery.

This brief mess is, however, going to lead to a long-term solution: to help the overflowing traffic stream move smoothly on the 14-kilometre-long dual carriage way that runs between Star Gate and Hotel Metropole.

In its annual development programme for the fiscal year 2016-17, the provincial government has allocated a sum of Rs10 billion for 21 new projects in the city. Of these, six fall on Sharae Faisal, costing more than Rs2.5 billion, which is around 26.4% of the total amount.

Sindh transport dept makes promises it rarely keeps

A new underpass will be constructed at Star Gate, the two tracks of Sharae Faisal will be widened till Hotel Metropole, a U-turn will be built at Natha Khan Bridge, the Drigh Road flyover will be demolished, the Baloch Colony flyover — located off Sharae Faisal — will be remodelled and another underpass will be built at Regent Plaza.

Apart from this, another underpass has been proposed for Submarine Chowrangi in Clifton. Overall, the three underpasses will cost Rs1.5 billion. Moreover, money has been allocated for 10 road construction and rehabilitation schemes, three water, one fire fighting and one zoo projects.

Given that the excise and taxation department recorded over 3.6 million registered motor vehicles in 2014, it is perhaps prudent that the Sindh government has given more importance to construction and remodelling of road networks in the city in the proposed development programme.

Sindh govt presents Rs869 billion budget

Three new flyovers

The Sindh government has allocated Rs1.9 billion for three new flyovers in the city. The one at Shaheen Complex, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto flyover, is the third-most expensive mega scheme announced for the current fiscal year, with an estimated cost of Rs800 million.

A replacement flyover will be built at Drigh Road after demolishing the existing one and the third one will be built at Manzil Pump in Landhi, connecting with the National Highway.

Repairing what’s broken

Of the city’s development package of Rs10 billion, 47.2% goes towards the construction and repairs of 10 roads in the city. The government is spending Rs1.6 billion for the construction of University Road from Hasan Square to NIPA and from NED University to Safoora Chowrangi. For the reconstruction of Tariq Road, Rs550 million have been allocated. The other projects fall within Surjani, Baldia and Malir towns.

Upgrading water filtration plant

The government has also shown commitment to fixing Karachi’s water woes by allocation Rs900 million for the upgrade of the water filtration plant at Pipri. The existing capacity of the Pipri plant is to filter around 50 million gallons per day (MGD). The authorities are planning to take it up to 100MGD.

Moreover, the government has allocated money to install a 16-inch-diameter pipeline in Metroville and construct a storm water drain near Jinnah International Airport.

Other projects

Meanwhile, the government has allocated Rs499 million for the upgrade of fire fighting at high-rise buildings while the zoo has been allocated Rs150m for rehabilitation and improvement. All these projects, except the fire fighting one, are subject to approval from the relevant authorities.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 12^th, 2016.

COMMENTS (7)

Mohammed Sattar | 8 years ago | Reply Please keep voting for the same people, after all we don't want progress and prosperity in Pakistan.

Fahad | 8 years ago | Reply Karachi needs its own local govt system FIRST. Its a pity that its been 6 months since the elections & the Mayor hasn't been able to take oath yet. And I agree with the people above, public transport is the single biggest issue of Karachi.

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Batool Nasir | 8 years ago | Reply Karachi needs to get rid of encroachments. Period.

ishrat salim | 8 years ago | Reply Karachi with a population of 25 million has been allocated Rs 50 billion, while Hyderabad with a population of less than 20 million has been allocated Rs 53 billion. Such is the lopsided budget proposal of Sindh which makes whole exercise a laughing stock. There is no provision of waste management due to which the whole city has become a garbage dump. There is inadequate budget allocation for transport system. Education has received a big budget if it is used prudently, but history shows that most of it will go waste ( in to the pocket of crooks ) without any result. Once again, there is no provision of any fund for short & medium term solutions to water problem. Over all, Karachi which still generates 70% revenue will be where it is today.

Faisal | 8 years ago | Reply Instead of spending billions on underpasses / overhead bridges an ideal scenario would be to restart the Karachi circular railway project and to complete the liyari bypass this year.

Last Man Alive | 8 years ago | Reply During 8 years of its loot of sindhi wadera occupied colony of Karachi Zardari Corruption Party regime built a few flyovers in Karachi nearly all of which have developed cracks most recently the ones constructed in Malir. In earlier Sindhi Corruption Party government led by Benazir Bhutto from 1993-1996 a single flyover at Drigh Road was built in Karachi which every year sheds a piece or two of it. Now it frightens every human thinking how these corrupt sindhi rulers will build more such faulty rickety structures in this wadera colony risking thousands of lives of the serfs in the colony.

Ali S | 8 years ago | Reply What Karachi really needs is a decent public transport system - otherwise all these underpasses and flyovers are of little benefit when one or two people are traveling per car and the number of vehicles on the road just keeps rising every day. Karachi is probably the only major city in the world today that's run under a colonial-era provincial system instead of its own local government. No hope from PPP govt.

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